Forgiven
by Danigirl32
Summary: AU JaSam fic Samantha McCall & Jason Morgan share a past. One that he doesn't remember. One she struggled to forget. After ten years, they will have to face each other and the common threat to their child. Can they find love again?
1. Prologue

Rated: M

Disclaimer: I don't own them, I just like to write about them

Pairing: JaSam

Summary: They were the last of a dying breed. They were Dark Warriors whose allegiance to each other was absolute. Their one mission, protect the helpless. So what happens when the son of one of their own is kidnapped? Samantha McCall & Jason Morgan share a past. One that he doesn't remember. One she struggled to forget. After ten years, they will have to face each other and the common threat to their child. Will they bring their son home? Can they find love again?

* * *

**_Prologue_**

Lorenzo Alcazar set the four copies of the file in front of each chair in the conference room while he waited for the others to join him. Intact was his baby. A security firm that specialized in just about everything, bodyguards, search and rescue, investigations. There wasn't a case his men couldn't handle.

He recruited from all organizations; the military and special forces, law enforcement, college campuses and even criminals. If they had the skills he required and were willing to take the oath, they were invited to join. After a six-month initiation period, if they made the cut they were stamped.

Lorenzo thought of the band around his arm that everyone who worked for Intact had. Its message was simple. Honor. Fidelity. Courage. Wisdom.

Most of the men chose to go the route of the others, and get the band tattooed in Latin. There were others who went a different route. But the words and their meaning remained the same. You covered your brothers' ass and no man left behind.

When Justus Ward called him last week and asked if he would be willing to take on another case, he hadn't expected so many complications. So he called in his best.

The door to the room swung open and the best walked in.

Sonny Corinthos, or the Player, as he was called. Sonny headed the mission, he was the contact person and the client spoke to directly. Sonny could be a hard ass, which came from his years as a mob leader in Port Charles, New York. He sold out the life after his wife, Lily, was killed in a car explosion that was meant for him. He put clients at ease with a smile, or put fear into enemies with a cold stare.

Sonny nodded in his direction, and then went back speaking to his brother. Ric Lansing, the Thief, as everyone called him. Ric was a genius, there wasn't a computer he couldn't hack his way into, a lock he couldn't pick, and a woman he couldn't charm. Ric had the same charisma as his older brother, but a softer smile that the women couldn't resist. "Hey Lo. Where is everyone else?"

"They'll be here." Lorenzo leaned forward in his chair and folded his hands on top of the table. His assistant, Liz Webber, brought in a coffee service and passed him a message. Without looking, he folded the paper and stuck it in his jacket pocket. He would deal with it after the meeting.

"Liz, I swear you get more beautiful every time I see you." Ric rose and helped her push the cart against the wall. He grabbed a cup and poured himself a cup of coffee, raised the cup in his brother's direction. When Sonny assented, he poured another.

"And you said that the last time you saw me." Liz smiled because she knew that Ric's flirting was innocent. Lorenzo didn't tolerate relationships in the office.

Just as she was leaving, Nikolas Cassadine entered. The shadow. Nik's specialty was demolitions. He was quiet and very formal, which is how he earned his moniker, but he was also the best. There wasn't a bomb he couldn't make or disarm. He held the door open for Liz, and then went to an empty chair. "Good Afternoon Mr. Alcazar." Nik was the only one who called him Mr. Alcazar. Lorenzo shook his head, Nik was young. Hopefully he would grow out of it.

"So is this everyone?" Sonny took a drink from his cup and set it back on the table.

"Just Hunter."

XXXXXX

Jason Morgan passed Liz in the hall on the way to the meeting. He was still tired; he only got in from Madrid, Spain this morning. The jet lag and the still healing bullet wound in his shoulder and thigh was starting to kick his ass, but he had accomplished his mission. Lorenzo told him to come into the office when he'd called to check in, so he had crawled out of the bed, pulled on the black long sleeved T-shirt, a pair of jeans, and boots. He climbed on the back of his motorcycle and headed into the city.

He pushed open the door, noticed the other three men at the table, and nodded briefly. This was his team. If he wasn't working alone, they were the only men he could count on. It wasn't that he didn't trust the other people here at Intact. These three men were his friends. If a cold-blooded bastard had friends. They knew his history and they accepted him without question.

"Sorry I'm late," he sat next to Lorenzo.

"You're good. Want some coffee?"

"No thanks."

"How was Spain?" Nik asked.

"It's over." Which was all that counted.

Lorenzo stood and started the meeting, "We have a kidnapping. A young boy, aged ten, was taken from school last Monday afternoon. The police haven't been notified."

"Ransom?" Sonny asked, flipping open his folder.

"No." They all hated kidnappings, especially when children were involved. There were too many times that the victims didn't come home alive.

"Justus brought me this case." Justus was an attorney who worked with Intact, often unraveling the government red tape they encountered. "Clients names are Jasper and Samantha Jacks. Jasper is a corporate raider, Samantha an artist. Their son, Robbie, is the boy who was taken."

"How does a corporate raider rate our services?"

"Ever heard of Jax International?" Lorenzo asked.

Ric whistled, "That Jasper Jacks?"

"Yeah." Lorenzo tossed his folder back on the table. "There's something about this case that stinks, I just don't know what yet."

"So why did you agree to take it?"

"Samantha is an old friend of Justus'. It's a personal favor. Besides, it's a kid. You all go out to Manhattan tomorrow to meet with the parents. See what you can figure out." Lorenzo had another reason for taking this case. He looked over at the men at the table and knew they would do everything in their power to find this little boy.

Jason flipped open the folder, thumbed through most of the information, he would go over it thoroughly later. Finally he got to what he was looking for. The pictures. There were several of Jasper Jacks, and several more of him with a dark haired woman. It was the picture of the woman and the little boy that interested him most. Jason looked up sharply at Lorenzo, his eyes wide with shock.

What the fuck?

The other men at the table finally saw what Jason had. Ric was the only one who made a sound, and it was a sharp gasp of amazement.

Robert Campbell Jacks was the spitting image of Jason Morgan. Right down to his piercing blue eyes.


	2. Chapter 1

Rated M  
Disclaimer: I don't own them, I just like writing about them

* * *

_**Chapter One**_

The room looked exactly the same as it did the last morning he rushed off to school. Clothes from the day before were draped across his chair. The screensaver on his computer repeatedly flashed that damned image of the _Final Fantasy_ characters Cloud and Sephiroth. He loved that game series and no amount of objection from her would change his mind.

The bed wasn't made and there were Mangas all over his bedside table. His entertainment center had a layer of dust on it that he was always promising to clean off and his bookcases were a mess. This mess had caused a brief argument that morning just like it always did at the end of the month.

Samantha McCall Jacks would give anything to have that day to do all over again.

She sat on the edge of his bed, knowing she should clean her son's room. It was almost as if she changed anything it would cause harm to her son.

The Monday had started just like every other Monday. She woke at six and went to the kitchen to start coffee. Robbie always laughed and said it was the only thing she didn't burn. Ten minutes later Jax would come down dressed for his morning run. Usually he would kiss the top of her head then leave but not lately. No, not since she started the divorce proceedings. This Monday he called out a terse, "Later." And closed the door behind him.

Sam started stripping the bed linen, pushing the foolish superstition out of her mind. Cleaning Robbie's room only meant he would have a clean bed to sleep in when he came home. She swallowed hard and bit back tears of dismay. She refused to cry. Robbie would be found and would come home safe and sound.

_If only she had told him how much she loved him before he rushed out of the truck._

She had gotten him up for school and they had bickered most of the morning. If he cleaned his room, he would find his favorite shirt. If he picked up after himself, he wouldn't misplace his book bag. She had made him promise to shovel out his cave when he came home today and to prove her point she had told him no swimming after school. That had not gone over well.

_"It's not fair Mom! You know I won't be able to swim on Saturday if I miss practice today!"_  
Her ten-year-old son was turning into a smart mouthed adolescent right before her eyes. Jax was no help. He only indulged Robbie, she was the one who had to make the rules and enforce them. She was the one who disciplined Robbie when he broke those rules. If left to Jax, her son would be as spoiled and self-centered as her husband.

Sam had raised an eyebrow and replied, "You should have thought about that yesterday when I told you to clean your room before school today."

Besides, she didn't like the competitiveness of the swim team Jax had found for Robbie anyway. Robbie was an excellent swimmer, but whenever he lost a race, he always felt like he was letting his father down. He was only a boy and didn't need that kind of pressure.

"You know Dad will be angry if I miss the meet." It was one of the few times Jax was actually around for his son.

"I'll explain it to your father. Straight home after school, understand?"

"Yes," he muttered gloomily and got out of the truck. She watched him mope up the stairs to his private school. A friend had run up to him and said something just as they were entered the building.

Sam gathered the cleaning supplies, the dirty linen and the garbage can and dragged it into the hall. The room now smelled like lemon. Robbie loved that smell; he said it always reminded him that maybe cleaning up wasn't so bad after all.

She had gone back home and closed herself in her studio for the afternoon. She had a show soon and her manager was still nagging her for several more pieces. Sam had told him that he was only getting two. And that was a maybe. Sculpting was a slow process and because she worked in several mediums often took weeks to complete. That afternoon she had been sketching a piece that she would work with glass, something new and complex.

When she told Jax she needed the stove put in one of the rooms, he'd had a fit. So she had to go out and rent a space for a furnace. Her plan was to go over to the space and work for the last part of the afternoon and pick Robbie up from school afterwards.

She got the call from the principal about ten minutes away from the school. Robbie's best friend Ty had rushed back into the school to tell that a van pulled up and men had gotten out and taken Robbie.

_Taken Robbie._

She left the door open and went down to the kitchen. Their housekeeper, Amanda, a nice woman who lived with them, was cleaning off the counter and making coffee. "Whatever you're making smells good." Sam put the things away and grabbed a mug. It might smell good, but Sam wouldn't eat anything. She swallowed some coffee black, felt the burst of caffeine work through her bloodstream and ignored the pointed look of the older woman. Yes lately she had been mainlining coffee like a drug, but it was the only thing that was helping her get through the day.

"It's lunch for the meeting later on."

Sam had begged Justus' to find help to get her son back. Though he was her lawyer representing her interests in the art world she knew Justus had connections everywhere. Yet, Jax didn't want help. They received the note informing them to keep the police out of it and follow directions, and Robbie would be returned unharmed and Jax wanted to follow it precisely. Sam thought he was insane. Of course they didn't want them to call the police, it would keep them trapped in their fear. When Justus' suggested that maybe he knew some people who might be able to help Sam had leaped on the information. Yes, she wanted help. Sitting back and doing nothing would drive her crazy. Robbie had been gone for three days by then and Jax was no closer to getting her son home than the day he'd been stolen. If anything, he was too damned relaxed.

When she called him on it, he had shouted at her, "What do you want me to do Sam? I'm trying not to panic and you accuse me of not caring about what happening to my son!"

Sam took one look at the anger in his eyes, and felt disgusted. Yes he was angry, but she still didn't see fear. Not the terror that pounded through her blood. "Whatever," she muttered and left the room. It was the best she could think of because if she had remained there would have been things said that couldn't be taken back.

Needless to say, the divorce, her show, everything, was put on hold. She could barely breathe and get through the day.

The doorbell rang, and Sam looked over to the clock, it was twelve-thirty exactly. "I'll get it Amanda, set lunch up in the dining room." She walked through the condo to the front door. She left word with security downstairs that when her guests arrived they should be allowed to come straight up, after they showed ID.

Sam walked through the spacious living room, remembering the afternoon the real estate agent had shown it to her and Jax. They had been married for three weeks and she was tired of living in Jax's hotel suite. She was pregnant and wanted to make a home. Jax insisted on the best, and Sam had to admit that if she was going to live in Manhattan, then this condo was perfect for them.

She looked out the spy hole, "Who is it?"

"Intact ma'am." The dark haired man held up ID, which indeed said Intact. Justus stood to the side of him and there were other men behind him that she couldn't quite see. Sam stepped back, released the locks and opened the door.

"Hey kid, how you holding up?" Justus immediately stepped forward and hugged her tightly. She met Justus through her manager when she needed a lawyer to go over her contracts. Sean had called in a favor for her because after a year she realized there was no way she should have been able to get a lawyer like Justus Ward.

"The usual," she walked away allowing the other men to come in.

"Sam, these are the men I was telling you about from Intact."

"Thank you for coming." Sam shook the man's hand that had flashed his ID.

"We'll do whatever we can to help Mrs. Jacks."

"Please, call me Sam."

"Alright. I'm Sonny Corinthos and let me introduce the other members of my team. This is Ric Lansing." Sam nodded to the man on Sonny's left. Their features were similar, dark hair, dark eyes that made Sam think they were related in some way.

"Nikolas Cassadine."

"And this is Jason Morgan."

Sam watched the tall, black-clad man step from behind Ric and walked forward to stand in front of her. He looked very powerful, his chest broad and muscular, his muscular arms were bare in the black t-shirt. His handsome face stared down at her with no expression on his face. Sam felt her heart stop in her chest. Those eyes, oh how she remembered those eyes. "Jason?"

xxxxx

Samantha McCall Jacks was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. The pictures had shown her to be lovely, but in the flesh, there was just something about her that a camera couldn't capture. Jason watched the shock flash in her eyes, the brief glimpse of hope and joy, then her eyes rolled back in her head. He managed to scoop her into his arms before she hit the floor.

* * *

_**Before…**_

It was just a way to escape. Jason had come to New York for the summer to get away from his crazy family. He loved the Quartermaines but when they started, especially with the bickering, he just needed to get away from them all. Grandmother told him to go away for the summer and just take some time before he started classes again in the fall. His girlfriend had been pissed, especially when he told her that he was going alone.

He rented an apartment and worked as a volunteer at a clinic that needed all the hands it could get. The neighborhood wasn't bad, just a lot of working class families who depended on this little clinic for health care. Volunteers with actual medical experience were a blessing.

He made new friends, Matt and Daniel, brothers who were so different than the ones back in Port Charles. These friends lived. They had bills to pay, troubles to get through. For once it was nice to not be the "golden boy" as his older bother liked to call him. They treated him as if he were just like them. They invited him home to their family's house for dinners and their parents had accepted him as one of their own.

It was a late afternoon, he was cleaning out a supply closet and trying to figure out how he would get them some new supplies without them realizing he was paying for them. Everyone who worked there just figured he was a college kid on break from school and was using this as practice for medical school. No one knew his parents were Alan and Monica Quartermaine, two of the most prominent doctors in Port Charles. They didn't know about his money or social status and it was nice to just be Jason Quartermaine.

The doors of the clinic had slammed open, and the most beautiful woman that he had ever seen walked in with a towel soaked with blood wrapped around her hand. She had on jeans and a bright red tank top, her hair scraped up in a sloppy ponytail. "I need some help here."

The clinic was busy, and Jason knew from the amount of blood in that towel that whatever had happened to her, it was pretty bad. He rushed forward, "Come on!"

He dragged her into one of the exam rooms that he had just cleaned out. "Keep that hand up high." He picked her up by the waist and sat her down on the table. "I'll be right back." He rushed out to get one of the doctors, knowing that she would need more than his rudimentary skills for the wound beneath that towel.

When he rushed back in with Dr. Murphy, she was still sitting in the same spot, her face a cloud of worry. Dr. Murphy was great, he'd let him help with her treatment. When asked how she hurt herself, she told them she cut her hand on one of her knives. "I was careless. I was in the middle of working and didn't want to stop to sharpen my blade. Stupid hun?"

The doctor had shaken his head, "Just careless young lady, not stupid. I think now you know better right?"

"Right. Can't damage the hands." She smiled slightly but grimaced a second later when he pulled on the thread he was using to stitch her up.

"You're a cook?" Jason couldn't help asking. She turned those dark eyes to him and he felt his stomach flip.

"Me cook?" She gave a short infectious laugh. "Not me. I burn water. No I'm an artist. I sculpt mostly. I was working with some wood today when the knife slipped and cut my hand." She had a thick cut in the palm of her hand.

"Well you're in luck," The doctor checked his stitches. "No nerves were damaged. It will be sore for a while, but you should be fine in a few weeks." He pulled off his gloves and tossed them in the bin. "I'll let Jason here wrap you up. I don't think you'll need anything stronger than ibuprofen for pain, you can pick that up over the counter. You keep that dry and try not to use it much."

"That's going to be difficult. It's my right hand."

"Do your best. Now I don't want to see you back in here for anymore of those you hear?"

"I hear. Thank you."

"Just doing my job." He smiled at them both, "Wrap her up Jason."

He left them alone in the exam room and Jason opened one of the drawers, to pull out gauze and tape to wrap her hand. He worked silently, cleaning the area carefully using medication then began applying the bandage. Now that the crisis was over he had a chance to recall everything about her. She had a beautiful face, very feminine. Generously curved lips, dark brown eyes with a faintly mischievous light in them. And she had a body that made him want to sit up and beg.

She held up well despite the pain, he knew that before Dr. Murphy had numbed the area, she had to be hurting. "I've never seen you around here before."

Her soft voice was sensuous, making him aware of her in a way that he shouldn't be. "I'm just up here for the summer."

"That explains it. So you're going to be a doctor?"

"Yeah," he looked up into her eyes and saw the smile in them. It was wrong. Although he and his girlfriend weren't speaking right now, they technically hadn't broken up yet. Yet Jason knew that if she walked out of here, he would probably never see her again. It was a chance he wasn't willing to take. "I know I shouldn't ask you this, but would you be interested in going to dinner with me?"

"Tonight?"

Jason looked down at her hand, shook his head, "That was stupid, you'll be in pain soon."

"True, but I have to eat." She smiled wryly at him.

"We could pick up something, and I could walk you home."

"You could, but then, I don't let strange men walk me home."

He blinked as if the thought had finally occurred to him, "You're right. Sorry."

She laughed, "Its okay. There's a park across from a Chinese restaurant that I always go to. We could pick up something and eat there." She waited until he nodded in agreement. "I'm Sam, Sam McCall. I would shake your hand, but," she left off with a chuckle.

"I'm Jason Quartermaine."

"It's nice to meet you Jason."


	3. Chapter 2

Rated: M

Disclaimer: I don't own them, I just like writing about them

Chapter Two

"_I thought you loved me. I thought that it was just you and me. But it was a lie, Sam. Just a fucking lie."_

"I'm sorry," Sam moaned, and then jerked awake, breathing harshly as the last of the dream faded.

"Whoa, now." A masculine voice said, as a hand pushed her back against the pillow. "Take it easy."

Sam took deep breaths trying to regain control. She looked all around realizing that she was in her bedroom. The man in front of her had a kind smile. "What happened?"

"You fainted. Your housekeeper said that you haven't been eating or sleeping so it's no wonder your body just gave out on you."

It took a moment, but then everything came flooding back to her, Robbie. The men from Intact in her apartment. Thinking she had seen Jason. It seemed she was getting delusional. "You're Ric Lansing right?"

"That's right. You remember what happened?"

"Justus brought you over, to discuss Robbie's kidnapping."

"That's right." He nodded, "Anything else."

"No, that's all right?" Of course she hadn't seen Jason. That was impossible.

The door swung open, and proved her wrong. "I'm going crazy," she whimpered softly.

Jason walked in carrying a tray, "The housekeeper said we should get her to eat something." He set the tray down on the bedside table and put his hands on his waist. He stared down at her just like she was a stranger.

"Jason?"

"Yeah, that's right. Jason Morgan. How are you feeling Mrs. Jacks?"

What the hell was going on here? "Jason why are you acting this way? Why are you calling yourself Jason Morgan? You're Jason Quartermaine."

Ric looked from Jason's blank face to Sam's tortured one and decided that maybe these two needed a moment alone before they discussed business. Besides if what everyone thought was true, these two had past history and Jason had a kid that he'd never known. He wanted to feel sympathetic toward the woman laying on the bed, and in a way he did. It had to be hell to have someone steal your kid. But his loyalty was to Hunter. That was all.

"I'll be down stairs with the team, come down when you're ready."

Jason nodded and waited until Ric closed the door behind him. He took another look at the woman on the bed. Long dark hair, eyes you could drown in. Yeah he could see why he would have had sex with her, but damned if he could forgive not knowing about his kid.

"Jason, I don't understand." She shook her head, "How are you alive?"

"Tell me what you know." The cold response wasn't a question but an order. He could tell it immediately got her back up, but that wasn't his problem.

"You were in a car accident and your brother was driving drunk. You were in a coma, the doctors said that you would probably never regain consciousness and if you did, you would most likely exist in a vegetative state for the rest of your life."

"Seems the doctors were wrong." He walked over to the very feminine desk and picked up the picture of Jasper, Samantha and Robbie Jacks. They were all wearing what looked like ski gear and smiling. Robbie looked a little younger than the picture he'd seen of him.

His son. Even without knowing who this beautiful woman was, or having actual confirmation, he knew that this was his child. He carefully set the picture down, feeling rage simmer inside him. "How did we meet?"

"This is wrong." She stared at him, a tumble of thoughts flashing over her face. Confusion, distrust, sadness. Jason found himself wondering what she looked like when she was happy. He already knew there wasn't a picture taken that did her stunning face justice. He needed answers and she was the only one who could give them to him. Then he had to search through the words she told him to find the truth.

"You come to my home after ten years and you expect me to carry on a conversation as if nothing is wrong."

"I'm here with Intact to help you locate Robert Campbell Jacks. The fact that we have a past may or may not be connected to this kidnapping. Considering I don't remember our history, don't you think we should discuss it?"

Sam looked at the cold stranger before her. "You don't remember?"

"I guess when you heard that I was going to be a vegetable you didn't bother to check on my progress any more."

Sam flushed guiltily, that wasn't true. She called the hospital in the beginning, but every day there was no change. When she found out she was pregnant, she stopped calling. She couldn't keep holding on to a miracle, she had a child to think about. That didn't change what had happened between them, nothing would ever repair the damage she'd caused. Instead of answering him, she focused in on what he did say. "What do you mean our past history may be the reason why Robbie was kidnapped?"

"I have a dangerous job and I've made enemies. You only have to look at Robbie to know he's mine."

She didn't bother denying the truth. Jax tried to pretend that Robbie was his. They both had the blondish brown hair and blue eyes. But Jax had seen Jason, so that's all it ever could be, a pretense. "So my son's in danger because of you?"

His expression was a mask of stone, "Our son."

"My son, damn it!" She swung her feet off the bed and stormed over to face him. Her rage, at the situation, at her helplessness and guilt and most especially the challenge in his voice finally snapped. "He's mine! And if what you say is true, then I'll do everything in my power to make you pay for this."

"You can blame me if you like, if it helps you get through this, I could care less." His blue eyes pierced straight through her. Her emotions hadn't touched him at all. She had to remember that this man didn't remember everything that happened between them. This man was a stranger. It would be foolish to underestimate him.

Even as she thought this his voice hardened ruthlessly, "The situation remains, if Robbie was stolen by one of my enemies, then it needs to be dealt with. Your threats can wait until we bring him home."

"How did you get so cold? The Jason I knew was never this cold. He was kind and generous. He loved me." And she had loved him, with all her heart and soul.

"Jason Quartermaine is dead." He looked at her intently then strode to the bedroom door and stepped into the hall. He stopped mid-stride and turned back, his icy blue eyes chilling her down to the bone. "Let it go. I have."

God help her if this man ever found out the truth.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Never had he come so close to loosing control. It was the one thing he could count on. The months after he awakened from his coma had been filled with rage and wildness. He had tumbled toward the edge without a thought of what would come after simply because he couldn't remember. He had lost the most basic of things that people took for granted, family, friends, a connection to life. And the frustration almost drove him insane. It was dark place he had no intention of revisiting.

Nik stopped Jason before he entered the living room by placing a hand on his arm, "Yours?" He gave a short nod and Nik's face grew even more serious than usual.

"What do you need?"

"Time."

Nik watched as Jason strode to the door and left the condo. He knew what betrayal meant, and this was the worst of them all. Sonny and Ric looked up at his departure and then to him. He confirmed what they all had suspected. "It's true."

"Well I'll be damned. Hunter has a kid." Ric fell back against the couch his hands covering the frustration on his face.

"Situation has just changed. We need to look at all possibilities now." Sonny stood and walked over to the mantle and snatched down one of the pictures. "Ric, pull all of Jason's case files and everything we know about what he's been doing since joining Intact."

"I can't believe she didn't tell him." Ric's voice was full of anger.

"Maybe there were extenuating circumstances." Nik tried to be the voice of reason.

"Nothing excuses what she did." Sonny's voice was just as furious as Ric's.

"You don't know what went on between me and Jason. So you can keep your opinions to yourself." Her voice cut through the tension building in the room. Sam walked into the living room having heard what these men were saying. She didn't care about their judgments; there were more important things involved than Jason's feelings. "If my son was taken because of Jason then maybe I was right to keep him a secret."

Sam watched Nik, who had been the most open about her situation, as he took a step away from her and stood firmly beside the men in her living room. So be it then. "I don't need your help. I'll find Robbie on my own."

"We're not doing this for you." Sonny looked at her with disgust. "This is about Hunter."

"Who is hunter?"

"Jason Morgan. Alias Hunter," Ric glowered down at her. It seemed these men were closing ranks and now included her among the enemy.

"Why do you call him that?"

"Because it's what he does." Nik's voice was soft, but just as hard. "Search, Rescue and Recovery. By any means necessary. Hunt em' down, kill em' all."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jasper Jacks sat in his office on the telephone sweating profusely. "I told you I would deliver the micro-chip. You didn't have to take my son."

"We told you that we weren't playing games with you Jax. You promised the hardware and we agreed upon payment. You tried to betray us, by approaching another buyer."

"I told you, they called me!" His caught his voice just before he shouted. He swiveled in the chair to face the window and lower his voice. "I came to the drop. You're the one who took Robbie."

"If what you say is true, then you will deliver the micro-chip as well as twenty million dollars and we will return your son."

"The same place?"

"No. We will call you with instructions."

Jax listened to the dial tone for a few seconds then flipped his cell closed. It was an untraceable line, one of those phones where you paid for minutes at one time. He stuffed it into his jacket pocket. He would destroy it when he got home.

This business deal was completely out of control. When he had bought the computer software company, he had no idea what he was walking into. All he wanted was the software for that damned virus he'd heard about. Being approached by the men who were interested in the virus had been exciting. If he could make a shit load of money off this sale, he didn't care who bought it. He hadn't counted on Robbie being kidnapped.

Now Sam wanted to call in some security team to look for Robbie. If she found out that he was responsible for Robbie being taken there wasn't a chance in hell of fixing their marriage. He loved her, and after everything they had been through he wasn't going to let her go. Yes, he made a mistake but men had affairs all the time and somehow their marriages survived.

So would his.

Maybe he could turn this situation to his advantage. If he were the one responsible for bringing Robbie home, Sam would be grateful. So grateful that perhaps she would be willing to give him a second chance. He could take them all on an extended vacation, maybe to Hawaii. Sam loved Hawaii. Then they could work on keeping their family together. This was a sound plan. He would be out of twenty million dollars, but that was easily recouped in another business deal.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

_**Falling…**_

"You have to hold still."

Jason resisted the urge to scratch his back again, but only because Sam had insisted on sketching him. He felt a little foolish standing here without a shirt and only these jeans on but it was what she wanted. Matt said one night after Jason canceled on him and his brother again, that Sam had him wrapped around her finger. Jason had to admit, Matt was probably right.

Ever since that night he'd met Sam at the clinic, they had been inseparable. She worked during the day at an art gallery and he worked at the clinic but at night he could always count on her to show up at his apartment with a bag of food for them to share for dinner. He had called his girlfriend after the first week of meeting Sam to break off their relationship. There was no use in pretending, his head was completely focused on Sam McCall.

Weekends were the best. They went everywhere together. This weekend he had surprised her with a trip out to Martha's Vineyard. She had protested but he knew it was a good surprise.

He had told her everything about himself, including the fact that his family had a lot of money. She treated him no differently. She told him about her life, the way her parents had practically abandoned her as a child, how she had bounced from one foster home to another, until finally she had skipped and made a life of her own.

Jason was proud at how strong she was. It was just one more reason to fall for her. His life had been easy, not like Sam's, but whenever he started feeling a little foolish, she would point out how he was working at the clinic and studying to be a doctor so that he could help people.

He wanted some time alone with her, just the two of them, where they could get away from the city for some quiet. So he could figure out just how far he'd fallen. He called a real estate agent and rented a cabin by the water for the weekend, bought a pair of first class plane tickets and surprised Sam over dinner that Wednesday night.

Now he was standing in front of the cabin wondering what he had allowed his beautiful girlfriend to talk him into. "Sam, I'm hungry."

"You just ate an hour ago."

It was already an entire hour! Now he knew he had to distract her. "Sam. Come on," he whined pitifully.

"You are an empty pit Jason Quartermaine."

Jason looked over his shoulder with a hopeful smile and sure enough she was sitting her sketchpad down. He rushed over and swept her into his arms. "We could have a snack; go for a walk on the beach."

Catching on to him, Sam narrowed her eyes, "I should finish this."

"Plenty of time." He lowered his mouth to hers. The kiss was slow and thoughtful. He felt her arms wrap around his waist as she stood on tiptoe to deepen it. He had never felt like this before, and he never wanted it to end.

"Sam," he murmured against her mouth. It was only a few weeks, but last night as he held her soft warm body, he finally knew that this was love.

Already he was making plans to be with her. His classes could be moved to here in New York. They could find an apartment together, maybe in the Village near the gallery where she worked. He could continue to work in the clinic and after medical school, take on a position there. It was a good facility, and they needed more doctors on staff. He had money, he'd grown up with it all of his life. Now he had a real chance to make a difference and share his life with the woman that he loved.

He swept her into his arms and Sam giggled softly as she laid her head against his shoulder, "What happened to your snack?"

"I think I'll have dessert first."

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Jason caught himself just as he was about to exit the building. Time, he had told Nik. Unfortunately there wasn't any time for this. A little boy, his son, was in danger and he needed to push his feelings aside and concentrate on the facts. The rest would have to be dealt with when Robbie was safe.

He watched as the doors opened, Jasper Jacks walked through them. The security guard stepped forward with a greeting, "Good Afternoon, Mr. Jacks."

The man nodded politely, and then reached inside his jacket pocket. "Could you throw this away for me Tom?" He passed the man, the cell phone and gave a short nod, "Thanks." Then he discreetly slipped the guard a bill. Jax boarded the elevator, without giving him a glance and Jason shook his head. For a man whose son was kidnapped he was remarkably relaxed.

Jason walked over to the front desk. "The phone."

The guard looked up at him, started to protest but Jason shook his head and held out his hand. "Now," he ground the word out between his teeth. The guard understood his threat, reached down and slid the phone across the top of the desk. Jason slipped it inside his pocket and headed back upstairs.

XXXX

Her plans to offer the men from Intact lunch as they discussed what to do about Robbie were now over. She didn't want to share a meal with these men any more than they did with her. It was easy for them to stand there with their self-righteous judgments.

"I want to know what steps you plan to take to find Robbie."

The three men looked at each other, and then Sonny spoke up, "We're going to start with a list of known threats to Jason and work from there. Considering there is a ten year span of time from the last time you saw Jason, we're looking for someone who has a serious grudge against him, if he went digging this deep into his past."

Intact buried the previous lives of the men who worked for the organization, but there was always the chance of discovery if someone was motivated enough. All it took was the wrong word from the right person.

"Then what?" Sam asked. They weren't going to keep her out of this, no matter what they thought of her.

Just as she was preparing to argue, Jax stormed into the apartment. Great just what she needed. It was a good thing that Jason was gone and she would be spared the confrontation between the two men. "I thought you had to work today."

Jax glared at the men in their living room before speaking up, "If you insist on hiring these men to search for Robbie, then of course I'm going to be here." He walked over to Sonny and held out his hand offering a charming smile, "Jasper Jacks. And you are."

"Intact." Sonny looked down at the man's hand, then into his face with a cool glare. "Sonny Corinthos, Ric Lansing and Nik Cassadine."

"So what have you come up with?"

Sam stepped forward beside Jax, she might have been divorcing him, but he was her husband and deserved her support. He loved Robbie and was concerned about his welfare as well. "They only just arrived a while ago."

"Your wife decided to take a short nap, so we haven't had a chance to talk with her yet." Sonny replied.

"A nap?" Jax turned to her with confusion in his eyes, "You never nap, is something wrong."

"It's nothing really." She didn't want to explain why the sight of Jason had caused her to pass out. Jax would know Jason was alive soon enough.

Sonny eyed them both with a critical glance, "It's good that you're here, maybe you'll be able to offer us some insight on Robbie's disappearance."

Sam didn't know if it was deliberate on his part or if she was just imagining it, but it sounded as if Sonny was going to say your son, then changed his mind. "Why don't we sit down, and I'll have Amanda get everyone some coffee." It was going to be a long afternoon. She started toward the hall just as the door swung open and Jason walked inside.

"Really should keep these locked." He carefully shut the door behind him.

"Son of a bitch! You're alive?"

Sam watched Jax pale and Jason shot her an expression of pained annoyance. "Last time I checked."

"You invited this bastard into my home. Damn it Sam, how could you? Hasn't there been enough turmoil in our family without you adding him?"

"You're being ridiculous Jax. I didn't know that Jason was alive, how could I have known?"

Jax ignored her words and stalked over to confront Jason. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to find my son."

It was like striking a match to gasoline, Jax's expression grew hard and resentful, "Robbie is not your son. He's mine. You'll stay out of our lives."

"Does he always talk this much?" Jason asked her and Sam had to struggle not to laugh.

Jax noticed the interaction between them and shoved Jason back. The other men immediately stepped forward but Jason held them off with a slight shake of his head. "You don't want to do that."

"Keep your eyes off my wife. You won't come between us again."

Jason raised shocked eyebrows, "I don't want your wife. I'm here for my son."

Jason's words evidently pushed Jax too far because he immediately took a swing at Jason. And missed. It was almost a mirror of before. The harsh words. The fighting. Only this time Jason wasn't taking up for her. He wasn't defending their relationship. There was only a cool mocking response. That had truly hurt. They shared the same face but this wasn't the same man that she fell in love with. Hearing those words come from Jason's mouth made the pain growing in her chest a sick and fiery reality.

Jax took another swing, only this time, instead of Jax punching Jason, he stepped cleanly to the side and grabbed Jax's fist, twisting his arm behind his back. "I told you not to do that." He said with a growl.

Jax tried to struggle, but Jason swept his feet from beneath him and allowed him to hit the floor. Sam watched the back of his head slam painfully against the floor. "Bastard!"

Jax went to roll to his knees, but Jason shoved him back down with his booted foot. "Stay down and cool off."

"Stop it!" Sam yelled and went to Jax. She glared at Jason until he blinked and took a step back away from them. "Are you okay?" She helped him to his feet and Jax snatched away, pulling his jacket down and running a frustrated hand through his hair.

"I'm fine. I would like to speak with you privately Sam." He turned and walked away.

"Jax didn't deserve that. Did it make you feel better?" She whispered bitterly.

"Was it supposed to make me feel something at all?"

"Cold bastard."

Jason took a step forward and brushed a hand across her face, pushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear. It seemed to be an unconscious gesture and was so much like the man she loved that it made her heart ache. "I thought we already established that." The words were brutal and unfeeling and snapped her out of her memories.

Jason watched as she stormed away, feeling a twinge of guilt for the tears he had seen in her eyes. He hadn't meant to touch her, but had been in the moment before he realized it. He could have stopped and moved away, instead he followed through, curious as to whether or not she was as soft as she appeared to be.

It was an answer he was better off not knowing.

He turned to his friends; saw them watching him with smirks on their faces. They knew that if he had meant Jax any harm, he would have done a lot worse than make the man fall. Jason walked over to Ric, and slid the watch he had discreetly palmed from Jax's arm into his hand.

"I need a tracking unit." He pulled the cell out of his pocket and gave it to him as well. "Find out what you can from this as well."

Ric frowned, "Where did you get this?"

"Found Jax paying off the guard downstairs to get rid of it for him. Might not be connected, but I still want to know." Jason looked toward the hall where he heard the raised voices, "Jax is hiding something."

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Sam watched Jax pour himself a glass of champagne and fought back a grimace. It was a disgusting habit, one she had once thought charming. Ten years of marriage tended to dull the shine on most things. While Jason's behavior was inexcusable, her husband's was worse. He had immediately jumped to the wrong conclusions without even letting her explain.

Yes, their history was complex, but he had to know that she had no idea Jason was alive until he walked through her door. "What's wrong with you?"

"Besides the fact that Jason Quartermaine is in my house and my son is missing you mean?" He swallowed down the contents of his glass and quickly poured another. "How long have you been sneaking around with him? Is that why you were pushing so hard for the divorce?"

"I want the divorce because you're a lying cheat. I didn't know Jason was alive until today." Sam watched him drain another glass and pour another, she walked over and snatched the glass from his hand and threw it against a wall. "The least you can do is stay sober for this meeting. It's Robbie's life at stake here."

"How could I forget your former lover's son? I'm raising him aren't I?" Jax cursed softly and balled up a frustrated fist. "I'm sorry darling. You know I don't mean that."

Sam took a step away, "You said it though. Just how long have you been holding that in?"

"Don't you do that! You know I love Robbie. You know it!"

"Maybe you do."

She went to turn away but he yanked her back around. "What am I supposed to feel Sam? You act like you're the only one hurting here. Then I come home and find the man you put between us in my house."

"He doesn't remember." She whispered.

"What?"

"I said he doesn't remember," she repeated loudly and snatched her arm away. "He doesn't remember me, or you, or anything that happened before the accident. This is all just some vicious twist of fate."

"Then how does he know that Robbie is his son?"

"Jax, all you have to do is look at Robbie and you see Jason. The man isn't blind."

"Legally, I'm Robbie's father, so he can't make any demands."

Sam remembered the determined look on Jason's face, "I don't think that's going to stop him." She struggled to push back the tears that wanted to form. "This isn't important. Right now we need to concentrate on bringing Robbie home."

"I'll get a call from the kidnappers, we'll pay the ransom and that will be the end of it Sam. I still don't understand why you brought in these Intact people."

"Because it makes me feel better. I need to know that everything is being done to bring Robbie home. I'm sorry if this steps on your toes, but I won't put my son in danger to make you feel better."

"Your son?" he asked angrily.

"You know I don't mean it like that."

"I know a lot of things Sam," he took a step forward and spoke, a silken thread of warning in his voice, "I know that I'm not going to let Jason Morgan steal my family away from me. There isn't going to be a repeat of ten years ago Samantha. You're my wife and you're going to stay that way."


End file.
